In defense of women's rights and GLBT rights - Atheist Nexus2015-03-31T21:31:11Zhttp://www.atheistnexus.org/forum/topics/in-defense-of-women-s-rights-and-glbt-rights?groupUrl=politics-economics-and-religion&commentId=2182797%3AComment%3A2102170&xg_source=activity&groupId=2182797%3AGroup%3A1787843&feed=yes&xn_auth=noJoan, sounds wonderful to me.…tag:www.atheistnexus.org,2012-11-18:2182797:Comment:21036062012-11-18T22:46:32.980ZDaniel Whttp://www.atheistnexus.org/profile/Daniel57
<p>Joan, sounds wonderful to me. </p>
<p>Joan, sounds wonderful to me. </p> Glad you have some security!…tag:www.atheistnexus.org,2012-11-18:2182797:Comment:21033802012-11-18T16:31:37.856ZDaniel Whttp://www.atheistnexus.org/profile/Daniel57
<p>Glad you have some security! I am trying not to keep all of my eggs in one basket, too. The future is not an easy thing to predict.</p>
<p>Glad you have some security! I am trying not to keep all of my eggs in one basket, too. The future is not an easy thing to predict.</p> “It's criminal that pensions…tag:www.atheistnexus.org,2012-11-18:2182797:Comment:21030052012-11-18T04:01:29.759ZJoan Denoohttp://www.atheistnexus.org/profile/JoanDenoo
<p>“It's criminal that pensions are considered an archaic concept. What a corrupt world corporations have created.”</p>
<p>Via <a href="http://www.atheistnexus.org/group/politics-economics-and-religion/forum/topic/listForContributor?user=14t55fjve67ls">Sentient Biped</a> </p>
<p>Yes, pensions were agreements between corporations and workers that workers would work for smaller wages, putting that money into an account to accrue interest and to be used after retirement. After spending years…</p>
<p>“It's criminal that pensions are considered an archaic concept. What a corrupt world corporations have created.”</p>
<p>Via <a href="http://www.atheistnexus.org/group/politics-economics-and-religion/forum/topic/listForContributor?user=14t55fjve67ls">Sentient Biped</a> </p>
<p>Yes, pensions were agreements between corporations and workers that workers would work for smaller wages, putting that money into an account to accrue interest and to be used after retirement. After spending years working to accumulate money for retirement it was too easy for corporations to back out of their obligation. Retired workers fulfilled their part of the bargain, some corporations did not. </p> “this NewYorker article makes…tag:www.atheistnexus.org,2012-11-18:2182797:Comment:21030042012-11-18T04:00:25.497ZJoan Denoohttp://www.atheistnexus.org/profile/JoanDenoo
<p>“<a href="http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/newsdesk/2012/11/who-killed-the-twinkie.html">this NewYorker article</a> makes a point: Hostess may have been on the way out anyway, due to inability to adapt to a changing market.” </p>
<p>Via <a href="http://www.atheistnexus.org/group/politics-economics-and-religion/forum/topic/listForContributor?user=14t55fjve67ls">Sentient Biped</a> </p>
<p>That is the way I read the events, Sentient. Wonder Bread and Twinkies have lost market share and…</p>
<p>“<a href="http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/newsdesk/2012/11/who-killed-the-twinkie.html">this NewYorker article</a> makes a point: Hostess may have been on the way out anyway, due to inability to adapt to a changing market.” </p>
<p>Via <a href="http://www.atheistnexus.org/group/politics-economics-and-religion/forum/topic/listForContributor?user=14t55fjve67ls">Sentient Biped</a> </p>
<p>That is the way I read the events, Sentient. Wonder Bread and Twinkies have lost market share and have filed several bankruptcies. No doubt the business was failing. Putting blame on unions for failure of the company easily occurs because most people don’t remember the background. If the public blames unions, further weakening them to become impotent, other workers will acquiesce and work for poor wages as profits climb for investors. How does a widening gap in income help anyone in the long run?</p>
<p>WHO KILLED THE TWINKIE?</p>
<p><a href="http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/newsdesk/2012/11/who-killed-the-twinkie.html">http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/newsdesk/2012/11/who-killed-the-twinkie.html</a></p>
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</div> “I hope we don't have to star…tag:www.atheistnexus.org,2012-11-18:2182797:Comment:21030022012-11-18T03:58:13.662ZJoan Denoohttp://www.atheistnexus.org/profile/JoanDenoo
<p>“I hope we don't have to start a war to siphon off able bodies into the military and keep them from agitating here.”</p>
<p>Via <a href="http://www.atheistnexus.org/group/politics-economics-and-religion/forum/topic/listForContributor?user=14t55fjve67ls">Sentient Biped</a> </p>
<p>Sentient, would it not be nice to see all our gun-toting military bring their weapons home, take off their hand grenades, and pick up shovels, hammers, screwdrivers, saws and work to clean up all the storm damages…</p>
<p>“I hope we don't have to start a war to siphon off able bodies into the military and keep them from agitating here.”</p>
<p>Via <a href="http://www.atheistnexus.org/group/politics-economics-and-religion/forum/topic/listForContributor?user=14t55fjve67ls">Sentient Biped</a> </p>
<p>Sentient, would it not be nice to see all our gun-toting military bring their weapons home, take off their hand grenades, and pick up shovels, hammers, screwdrivers, saws and work to clean up all the storm damages that has occurred throughout the country and turn those pieces of ground into green zones, bird and wildlife zones? </p> I hope we don't have to start…tag:www.atheistnexus.org,2012-11-17:2182797:Comment:21029812012-11-17T23:01:15.369ZDaniel Whttp://www.atheistnexus.org/profile/Daniel57
<p>I hope we don't have to start a war to siphon off able bodies into the military and keep them from agitating here.</p>
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<p>Also,<a href="http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/newsdesk/2012/11/who-killed-the-twinkie.html" target="_blank">this NewYorker article</a> makes a point: Hostess may have been on the way out anyway, due to inability to adapt to a changing market. </p>
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<p>It's criminal that pensions are considered an archaic concept. What a corrupt world corporations…</p>
<p>I hope we don't have to start a war to siphon off able bodies into the military and keep them from agitating here.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Also,<a href="http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/newsdesk/2012/11/who-killed-the-twinkie.html" target="_blank">this NewYorker article</a> makes a point: Hostess may have been on the way out anyway, due to inability to adapt to a changing market. </p>
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<p>It's criminal that pensions are considered an archaic concept. What a corrupt world corporations have created.</p> I agree 100% Sentient. I, too…tag:www.atheistnexus.org,2012-11-17:2182797:Comment:21029682012-11-17T20:41:58.359ZJoan Denoohttp://www.atheistnexus.org/profile/JoanDenoo
<p>I agree 100% Sentient. I, too smell a union busting strategy going on. </p>
<p>If the workers lose their jobs and their unions, what are their options? It seems to me they will have to look outside the box for new and less corrupt ways to organize themselves. <br></br><br></br>Just look back in history, when workers during the Great Depression had no work and no way to support themselves they did several things: <br></br>one was to make changes in government by putting pressure on FDR for what turned…</p>
<p>I agree 100% Sentient. I, too smell a union busting strategy going on. </p>
<p>If the workers lose their jobs and their unions, what are their options? It seems to me they will have to look outside the box for new and less corrupt ways to organize themselves. <br/><br/>Just look back in history, when workers during the Great Depression had no work and no way to support themselves they did several things: <br/>one was to make changes in government by putting pressure on FDR for what turned out to be public works programs. <br/>Another was to become entrepreneurial themselves, create their own jobs, first by going around doing handy-work, then learning skilled trades or nursing and teaching, etc., through education, which was also funded through government. <br/>Some lobbied for pension reform, and health plans reform. A lot of changes occured that would not have if they had continued as slave-labor. <br/>Also, look back to the Depression of 1890s, people left their low-wage job packed up their families and moved west. Thus the Great Migration would not have happened if they had continued as slave-labor. </p>
<p><br/>The problem with current events, the western movement has now completed filling the continent, production can be sent out of USA seeking slave-labor in poor countries. Exploitation is required to maintain a successful laissez-faire capitalist system. Remember capitalism needs poverty to be able to create great wealth. At some point, wage-workers see the connection between political and economic freedom and economic exploitation. </p>
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<p></p> Yes, i agree there is a lot o…tag:www.atheistnexus.org,2012-11-17:2182797:Comment:21029152012-11-17T19:40:26.766ZDaniel Whttp://www.atheistnexus.org/profile/Daniel57
<p>Yes, i agree there is a lot of hardship. My heart goes out to many people. Also no matter how careful we are to plan for the future, it can be a house of cards. </p>
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<p>I don't think the Hostess bakery workers will come out ahead. They will lose their jobs and have very hard times. The whole think looks to me like a union busting situation. Maybe an excuse for selling off the brands. Sounds a bit like Bain Capital to me.</p>
<p>Yes, i agree there is a lot of hardship. My heart goes out to many people. Also no matter how careful we are to plan for the future, it can be a house of cards. </p>
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<p>I don't think the Hostess bakery workers will come out ahead. They will lose their jobs and have very hard times. The whole think looks to me like a union busting situation. Maybe an excuse for selling off the brands. Sounds a bit like Bain Capital to me.</p> The problem, Sentient, is tho…tag:www.atheistnexus.org,2012-11-17:2182797:Comment:21031412012-11-17T19:23:15.387ZJoan Denoohttp://www.atheistnexus.org/profile/JoanDenoo
<p>The problem, Sentient, is those who have grandiose ideas of living as if they had the income to support their hoped for income are down the drain if they lose jobs or businesses. The ones that break my heart are the ones who live within their means, budget, forego immediate pleasure for long term goals, who save and through no fault of their own lose jobs, homes, health and retirement plans and live off savings, and credit cards. I can't think of a better way to destroy family tranquility…</p>
<p>The problem, Sentient, is those who have grandiose ideas of living as if they had the income to support their hoped for income are down the drain if they lose jobs or businesses. The ones that break my heart are the ones who live within their means, budget, forego immediate pleasure for long term goals, who save and through no fault of their own lose jobs, homes, health and retirement plans and live off savings, and credit cards. I can't think of a better way to destroy family tranquility and create breakup.</p>
<p>The smart ones know how vulnerable they are, steel themselves to the facts of life, prepare their kids to be flexible and go with the flow of the real world.</p>
<p>The wise ones develop a mental strength to retain their self-respect and dignity and prepare their kids for mental strength. </p>
<p>My job as mother, grandmother, great-grandmother is to be a solid dock upon which they know they can rely for love and compassion and information. Unfortunately pensions have been hit very hard and many of us lost a large chunk of our retirement incomes. So we have to be strong of mind and character, as well. <br/>My anger is that owners of capital convince owners of labor that the only way to structure a society is to produce profits that go to investors, leaving out labor. People who believe capital is more deserving than labor should have to make the cars, build houses, dig ditches, clean up after them and cook their own meals. </p>
<p>Now the good news in all this, there is pleasure in hunkering down. Simple living requires thought and time and energy. There is also opportunity to realize economic booms and busts are deliberate and planned, not by some conspiracy, but the consequences of economic and political principles. Greed, designed into fiscal policy, that takes from workers to enrich capital always has to have balancing energy to counterbalance the inequality of reward from production. Buyers can boycott companies that do not pay living wages even as they make profits for CEOs, CFOs, and shareholders. Workers can strike, picket and organize. </p>
<p>Closing down of Twinkies "because of strikers", can be a good thing in that a niche opens up for individual entrepreneurship or a different form of government. </p>
<p>Hard times, labor unrest, and struggling families working for a balanced economy between capital and labor, can be a good thing, even as it is hard. <br/><br/></p> Joan, it's true that if peopl…tag:www.atheistnexus.org,2012-11-17:2182797:Comment:21027542012-11-17T04:02:13.401ZDaniel Whttp://www.atheistnexus.org/profile/Daniel57
<p>Joan, it's true that if people rent the biggest spiffiest apt they can afford, or buy the biggest most well appointed house in the best neighborhood they can afford, then they will be living on a razor's edge. I still think buying a house that's more practical, that needs some work, but has solid framing and no major problems, and fixing it up, is more secure. I did it, and over 10 years rebuilt, renovated, painted, tore out walls, reframed, out in walls, and wound up with a place far…</p>
<p>Joan, it's true that if people rent the biggest spiffiest apt they can afford, or buy the biggest most well appointed house in the best neighborhood they can afford, then they will be living on a razor's edge. I still think buying a house that's more practical, that needs some work, but has solid framing and no major problems, and fixing it up, is more secure. I did it, and over 10 years rebuilt, renovated, painted, tore out walls, reframed, out in walls, and wound up with a place far better than I thought I could afford, for far less cost, and it's paid for. You got a house that you made your own as well. It's not for everyone and there are no easy answers, but it's one way that people can meet their needs and maybe have some security.</p>
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<p>Weeds have flowers. Flowers have nectar. Bees use the nectar to make honey. So weeds can have a sweet purpose too. :)</p>